John Paul II and John XXIII to be canonised in April 2014 - Catholicireland.netCatholicireland.net > John Paul II and John XXIII to be canonised in April 2014 John Paul II and John XXIII to be canonised in April 2014 By Sarah Mac Donald - 01 October, 2013 Pope Emeritus Benedict may join Pope Francis at double canonisation ceremony. At a Public Ordinary Consistory in the Vatican on Monday, Pope Francis announced that his two predecessors, Blessed Pope John XXIII and Blessed Pope John Paul II, would be canonised in April 2014. The date for the joint canonisation ceremony has been set for 27 April 2014, the day on which the Church celebrates the Second Sunday of Easter and the feast of the Divine Mercy, which was established by John Paul II. It was on that same feast day that John Paul II was beatified in 2011, drawing 1.5 million pilgrims to Rome. In July, Pope Francis signed a decree calling for the canonisation of the two former pontiffs.

There had been speculation that the joint ceremony might take place before the end of this year. However, the later date provides Vatican organisers with more time to plan for what is likely to be a massive attendance for the ceremony. The announcement of the date for the canonisations had been expected since July when Francis approved a second miracle attributed to John Paul, opening the way to the fastest canonisation in modern times. He also approved sainthood for John, who was pope from 1958 to 1963 and oversaw the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, even though he has only been credited with one miracle since his death. Analysts have said the decision to canonise them together is aimed at unifying the church. On the anniversary of John Paul’s death this year, Pope Francis prayed at the tombs of both of his predecessors in what commentators have interpreted as an indication that he sees a spiritual continuity in them. According to the Daily Telegraph, Pope Emeritus Benedict may join Pope Francis at the canonisation ceremony, making it the first ever time two living popes honour two dead ones at a saint-making ceremony. Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman said there was no reason why Benedict would not take part in the ceremony.

“There’s no reason – either doctrinal or institutional – that he couldn’t participate in a public ceremony,” he said. “I don’t have any reason to exclude it.” Share this: Report: Pope Francis Says John Paul II to Be Canonized April 27 | ncregister.com Sep. 3, 2013 Report: Pope Francis Says John Paul II to Be Canonized April 27 The Vatican has yet to confirm this date, which will likely include the canonization of Pope John XXIII. The papal spokesman says the official announcement will be made after the Sept. 30 consistory. EDWARD PENTIN VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has yet to make the date official, but Pope Francis has already let it be known in a private conversation that Blessed Pope John Paul II will be canonized on April 27, 2014. A reliably informed source close to the Vatican asked Pope Francis about the date recently, to which the Pope replied with a laugh: “I can tell you now if you like. It will be April 27.” “I was surprised by his frankness, but he took a step back, laughed and then told me the date,” the source said.

“He was surrounded by top officials who didn’t seem to mind.” Among those within earshot was Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the pontifical household, who will be partly responsible for organizing the canonization ceremony. Blessed Pope John XXIII, who led the Church from 1958 to 1963 and convened the Second Vatican Council, is also expected to be canonized on the same date. During a papal press conference on his return from Rio de Janeiro July 28, Pope Francis said both popes will be canonized “together,” but said it was unlikely the canonizations would take place during the autumn or winter, as many Poles will be traveling to Rome by bus, and the roads are already icy in Poland and parts of Europe in December. “I think the date needs to be rethought,” he said. After speaking with Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul II’s former private secretary and current archbishop of Krakow, he said two other possibilities arose: Christ the King Sunday, which falls this year on Nov. 24, and Divine Mercy Sunday 2014, which will be April 27.

Pope Francis said he thought there was “too little time” for the canonizations to take place in November and said he needed to speak with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The cardinal said at the end of August that the date will be officially announced at a consistory of cardinals on Sept. 30. Asked on Sept. 3 if he could confirm the date, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told the Register: "The consistory is held precisely in order to establish and announce the date publicly, so I don't think it's correct to say that the thing is already decided. If it isn't, we should save ourselves for the consistory.” But he added: “We can say that it is very likely, given that the Pope made an explicit reference to this date (Divine Mercy Sunday) in the interview on the return flight from Rio, saying that he realized that, in winter, it would be difficult for pilgrims from Poland and countries of Central and Northern Europe to attend, and so it was better to postpone until the spring." Divine Mercy Sunday was a special day for Blessed John Paul II, who established the feast day in 2001.

Celebrated on the second Sunday of Easter, its origins date back to Polish nun St. Faustina Kowalska, who had a devotion to the Divine Mercy after an encounter with Jesus. In visions and conversations with Jesus, St. Faustina (1905-1938) said that he asked her specifically for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established so mankind would take refuge in Jesus. John Paul II died on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005. The theme of mercy is also central to the pontificate of Pope Francis, who has said, “This is the time for mercy.” Father Lombardi told Vatican Radio July 30 that Pope Francis has “great effectiveness in helping people understand the theme of God's love and mercy, which reaches out to soothe and heal the wounds of humanity.” Pope Francis signed a decree July 5 that gave the go-ahead for the canonizations of both Popes John Paul II and John XXIII. Usually two miracles attributed to a candidate’s intercession are required to become a saint. A French religious sister, who was inexplicably cured of Parkinson's disease, led to Blessed John Paul II’s beatification on May 1, 2011.

A second miracle, which must occur after a beatification, involved a Costa Rican woman who was cured of a cerebral aneurism the very day of John Paul II’s beatification. For Blessed John XXIII, Pope Francis took the rare but not unprecedented step of waiving the requirement of a second miracle, paving the way for his canonization. Edward Pentin is the Register’s Rome correspondent. View Comments Sainthood for John Paul II, John XXIII in canonization ceremony - CNN.com Story highlights Estimated 800,000 watch ceremony in St. Peter's area, 500,000 more around Rome Pope Francis hails John XXIII and John Paul II as "men of courage" in his homily "They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century," Francis says The presence of two living popes for a canonization ceremony is historic John XXIII and John Paul II were canonized Sunday by Pope Francis in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Millions more around the world watched as two former pontiffs were for the first time installed as saints in a dual canonization.

The faithful and the curious packed the streets of Rome around the Vatican before dawn, hoping to gain entry to St. Peter's Square and catch a direct glimpse of church history in the making. Vatican Radio put the crowds at some 800,000 in the St. Peter's area, including the square and the roads and gardens around it. Another 500,000 followed the proceedings on giant screens set up around Rome, according to estimates based on police aerial shots. In another first on a historic day, two living popes were present for the ceremony. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH A historic first: double canonization 03:01 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI , who resigned from the papacy a year ago citing health reasons, was not at the altar but was greeted warmly by Francis both before and after the event. Many of those gathered in the square for the solemn open-air ceremony carried flags and banners. The red and white Polish flag was prominent among them, a reflection of the affection felt for John Paul II in his homeland, Poland. Another read simply, "Thank you." With the canonization, a holy relic for each of the popes was formally presented to the altar before the crowds.

Giant banners showing the faces of the two late popes hung on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica. In his homily, Francis described the pair as "men of courage" who bore witness to God's mercy. "They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century," he said. "They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful, faith was more powerful." He paid tribute to the efforts of John XXIII and John Paul II to renew and strengthen the church. The landmark Second Vatican Council called by John XXIII was of great service to the church, he said. That council helped to bring the church to the people, for example by allowing languages other than Latin to be used for Mass. John Paul II, who served for nearly 27 years, is seen as the "pope of the family" and wanted to be remembered that way, Francis added. Popemobile progress After greeting visiting dignitaries, Pope Francis climbed into the Popemobile, a chance for him to get closer to some of the many faithful who have flocked to Rome.

The joyful crowds waved and screamed as he passed through their midst in the open-sided vehicle, with Francis waving and smiling back. One American pilgrim, Hector Alicea of Maryland, told CNN it was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for him and his two children to be there for the event. "It was very exciting," he said. "We didn't get a lot of sleep and it's very, very crowded, but all in all it was an incredibly cheerful environment." The event has a special significance for him because his faith was revitalized after he heard John Paul II preach a sermon in Baltimore in 1994, he said. "What we are seeing today is the kind of youth who grew up in the John Paul generation." He was impressed by the diversity of the crowds, he said, as well as the numbers of young and old among them. Applause greets Benedict Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said beforehand that as many as 150 cardinals and 1,000 bishops would attend the canonization ceremony, as well as some 6,000 priests.

Benedict, looking frail in his white robes, was greeted with applause as he took his place among the bishops and cardinals. Delegations from more than 100 countries around the world were expected to be present, the Vatican said, including at least 24 heads of state. A large Jewish delegation was also to attend, reflecting the efforts of both popes to reach out to the Jewish faith. Sunday evening also marks the beginning of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The two popes canonized are: John XXIII (1881-1963) -- known as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli before he became pope -- was one of 13 children born into a family of Italian peasants, farmers from a tiny village in the country's north. He was sent away to study for the priesthood at age 11. John Paul II (1920-2005), born Karol Jozef Wojtyla, was brought up in a grimy industrial town in Poland and raised by his soldier father after his mother died when he was just 8 years old. He spent his formative years living under first Nazis, then Communists.

His beatification is the quickest in modern times, made possible because Benedict -- who succeeded John Paul in 2005 -- waived the normal five-year waiting period after death to get someone's beatification rolling. Tomb visits Vatican observers see the decision to canonize both popes together as a masterstroke designed to invite unity within the Roman Catholic Church, since it brings together a conservative and a reformer. The day chosen for the ceremony, the first Sunday after Easter, is significant because in the church calendar it is Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy was a theme important to both popes -- and to Francis. After the Mass, the Basilica of St. Peter will be open into the evening to allow pilgrims the opportunity to visit the tombs of the two new saints, Vatican Radio said. John Paul II's relic, a vial containing his blood, is the same one used for his beatification ceremony in 2011. John XXIII's relic is a piece of skin removed from his body when it was exhumed -- in order to move his body from the crypt under St Peter's Basilica to the main Basilica -- for his 2000 beatification ceremony.

After the Eucharistic service, their names were included for the first time in the chanting of the litany of the saints. The huge crowds present in Rome reflect the fact that both men were popular in life and known for their efforts to reach out to ordinary people, a path which Francis also seems determined to follow. The event is the biggest in Vatican City since the election of Pope Francis last year. The Vatican's official website said civil security forces were prepared and the subway system would run nonstop through the weekend to accommodate the influx of pilgrims for the ceremony. Popes John XXIII and John Paul II become saints, witnessed by thousands | BDN Maine | Bangor Daily News Popes John XXIII and John Paul II become saints, witnessed by thousands Next KACPER PEMPEL | REUTERS A Polish pilgrim displays a souvenir of canonised Popes John Paul II (left) and John XXIII while waiting for mass before the canonisation ceremony in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, April 27, 2014.

Pope John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to1963 and called the modernising Second Vatican Council, and Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly 27 years before his death in 2005 and whose trips around the world made him the most visible pope in history, were declared saints by Pope Francis at an unprecedented twin canonisation on Sunday. TONY GENTILE | REUTERS Pope Francis swings incense as he celebrates mass after the canonisation ceremony of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 27, 2014. KACPER PEMPEL | REUTERS Polish pilgrims wait for mass before the canonisation ceremony in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, April 27, 2014. By Philip Pullella and James Mackenzie, Reuters April 27, 2014, at 6:04 a.m. VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis proclaimed his predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints on Sunday in front of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims celebrating two 20th century giants of the Roman Catholic Church.

Cheers and applause rang out across St Peter’s Square after the historic double canonisation as many in the crowd fixed their gaze on huge tapestries of the two popes on the facade of the basilica behind Francis. “We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole Church,” Francis said in his formal proclamation in Latin about 30 minutes into the solemn service. The crowd was so large it stretched back along all of Via della Conciliazione, the half kilometre-long, broad boulevard that starts at the Tiber River. Even its bridges were packed with pilgrims. The Mass, which began under a light rain, was also attended by former Pope Benedict, who last year became the first pontiff in six centuries to step down. Benedict walked with a cane and was dressed in white vestments His attendance gave the ceremony a somewhat surreal atmosphere created by the presence of reigning pope, a retired pope and two dead popes buried in the basilica behind the altar.

John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963 and called the modernising Second Vatican Council, and John Paul II, the Pole who reigned for nearly 27 years, played a leading role on the world stage. The overwhelming majority in the crowd were Poles who had travelled from their home country and immigrant communities as far afield as Chicago and Sydney to watch their most famous native son become a saint. Hundreds of red and white Polish flags filled the square and the streets surrounding the Vatican, which were strewn with sleeping bags, backpacks and folding chairs. It was one of the biggest crowds since John Paul’s beatification in 2011. “For years Pope John Paul II took the Church to the ends of the earth and today the ends of the earth have come back here,” said Father Tom Rosica, head of Canada’s Salt and Light Catholic television network. Families and other pilgrims had waited for more than 12 hours along the main street leading to the Vatican before police opened up the square at 5:30 a.m. Some people said they had managed to sleep on their feet because the crowd was so thick.

About 850 cardinals and bishops were celebrating the Mass with the pope and 700 priests were on hand to distribute communion to the huge crowd. Francis’ own huge popularity has added extra appeal to the unprecedented ceremony to raise two former leaders of the church to sainthood on the same day. But while both were widely revered, there has also been criticism that John Paul II, who only died nine years ago, has been canonised too quickly. Groups representing victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests also say he did not do enough to root out a scandal that emerged towards the end of his pontificate and which has hung over the church ever since. The controversy did nothing to put off the rivers of Catholic faithful who have been arriving in Rome over the past few days. “It is a great joy, an immense joy, because there is happiness everywhere and this is not an empty happiness,” said Guillemette Chevalier, from France. “Here we have found the joy of being together in the Church around two extraordinary men … who give meaning to our lives. It is true happiness,” she said. About 10,000 police and security personnel and special paramedic teams were deployed and large areas of Rome were closed to traffic.

Pilgrims who did not want to battle the crowd spent the night praying in Rome churches left open especially for the event and would watch the event on large television screens around the city. The election of the Argentinian-born Pope Francis has injected fresh enthusiasm into a Church beset by sexual and financial scandals during the papacy of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who last year became the first pope to resign in 600 years. He now lives in secluded retirement but will be present at the canonisation mass, which will symbolically bring together four popes. The two new saints are buried in crypts in St. Peter’s Basilica. The fact that the two being canonised are widely seen as representing contrasting faces of the Church has added to the significance of an event that Francis hopes will draw the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics closer together. John, an Italian often known as the “Good Pope” because of his friendly, open personality, died before the Second Vatican Council ended its work in 1965 but his initiative set off one of the greatest upheavals in Church teaching in modern times.

The Council ended the use of Latin at Mass, brought in the use of modern music and opened the way for challenges to Vatican authority, which alienated some traditionalists. John Paul was widely credited with helping to bring down communist rule in eastern Europe and hastening the end of the Cold War. He continued many of the reforms but tightened central control, condemned theological renegades and preached a stricter line on social issues such as sexual freedom. A charismatic, dominant pope, he was criticised by some as a rigid conservative but the adoration he inspired was shown by the huge crowds whose chants of “santo subito!” (make him a saint at once!) at his funeral 2005 were answered with the fastest declaration of sainthood in modern history. Both canonisations have involved some adaptation of the normally strict rules governing declaration of a saint, which involve a close examination of each candidate’s life and works and normally the attestation of at least two miracles. Benedict waived a rule that normally requires a five-year waiting period before the preliminaries to sainthood can even begin to speed up John Paul’s canonisation, while Francis ruled that only one miracle was needed to declare John a saint.

Vatican declares Popes John Paul II and John XXIII saints - BBC News BBC News Vatican declares Popes John Paul II and John XXIII saints 27 April 2014 Close share panel Media captionPope Francis declares John Paul II and John XXIII as new saints Pope Francis has declared Popes John Paul II and John XXIII saints, in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands. He praised his two predecessors as "men of courage" at the Vatican service, the first time in history that two popes have been canonised at the same time. The Mass was attended by Pope Emeritus Benedict, who quit as pope last year, and roughly 100 foreign delegations. Analysts say Francis is trying to balance the conservative legacy of John Paul with the reforming zeal of John. Analysis By Alan Johnston BBC News, Rome The ancient rite of canonisation unfolded under grey skies in a packed St Peter's Square. In keeping with tradition, Pope Francis, was approached and requested to add his two predecessors to the long list of Catholic saints. And at the third time of asking, he granted that request.

Then ornate, silver containers holding holy relics of new saints were shown: a trace of blood from John Paul II, and sliver of skin taken from the body of John XXlll. Both men were hugely influential figures in the story of modern Catholicism. The Italian Pontiff, John XXlll, is seen very much as a liberal, reforming figure. The Polish Pope, John Paul, on the other hand, was much more conservative. And their elevation to the sainthood on the same day is being seen as an attempt to draw together the liberal and the more traditional wings of the Church. At the climax of the service, Pope Francis said in Latin: "We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole Church." Relics of each man - a container of blood from John Paul and a piece of skin from John - were placed near the altar. Pope Francis paid tribute to the two new saints as "priests, bishops and popes of the 20th Century". "They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them.

For them, God was more powerful," he said. The Vatican estimated some 800,000 pilgrims had poured into Rome to see the two-hour ceremony first-hand. For those unable to make it into St Peter's Square, giant screens were set up in nearby streets and elsewhere in the city. "Four popes in one ceremony is a fantastic thing to see and to be at, because it is history being written in our sight," said Polish pilgrim Dawid Halfar. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Giant portraits of the two popes flanked Francis as he celebrated Mass Image copyright Reuters Image caption Pope Francis greeted crowds from the "popemobile" after the ceremony Image copyright AFP Image caption Notable guests include Floribeth Mora, who claims John Paul II cured her of a serious brain condition The Vatican confirmed on Saturday that 87-year-old Benedict XVI - now officially titled Pope Emeritus - would make a rare public appearance alongside his successor. "We've been counting down the days. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience Polish pilgrim in Rome Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign for 600 years when he quit for health reasons a year ago.

Papal politics The process of saint-making is usually long and very costly. Media captionThe BBC's Robert Pigott in the crowd: "This has been a majestic, a solemn and a moving ceremony" Media captionCormac Murphy-O'Connor talks about Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II But John Paul II, whose 26-year reign ended in 2005, has been fast-tracked to sainthood in just nine years. Many among the huge crowds that gathered as he lay dying cried out "santo subito", which means "sainthood now". By contrast Italian-born John XXIII, known as the Good Pope after his 1958-63 papacy, had his promotion to full sainthood decided suddenly and very recently by Pope Francis. The BBC's David Willey in Rome says there was a political dimension to this. By canonising both John XXIII - the pope who set off the reform movement - and John Paul II - the pope who applied the brakes - Francis has skilfully deflected any possible criticism that he could be taking sides.

It’s Official: John Paul II and John XXIII to Be Canonized April 27 | ncregister.com Archives – Vatican | Oct. 14, 2013 It’s Official: John Paul II and John XXIII to Be Canonized April 27 Vatican Decrees the New Saints Will Be Proclaimed Divine Mercy Sunday Edward Pentin Blessed Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be canonized on April 27, 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday, the Vatican has officially confirmed. In a statement released Sept. 30, the Vatican said that Pope Francis "decreed that Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II will be enrolled among the saints on April 27, 2014, the Second Sunday of Easter, of the Divine Mercy." The Vatican said the Holy Father announced his decision at 10am at an ordinary public consistory made up of cardinals and bishops in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, during the celebration of mid-morning prayer. The news was widely expected. The Register was among the first to report the high probability of Divine Mercy Sunday as the chosen date when Pope Francis revealed it in a conversation.

Although cardinals and bishops vote on the canonizations, the date is the Pope’s alone to make, in accordance with his calendar and schedule. Vatican and Rome authorities are now preparing for what is expected to be an enormous number of pilgrims taking part in the canonizations from all over the world. An estimated 1 million pilgrims filled St. Peter’s Square and surrounding streets for John Paul II’s beatification on May 1, 2011. Even more will be expected next April, also because the joint canonization will attract thousands of devotees of Pope John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. Popularly known as "good Pope John," the 261st bishop of Rome convened the Second Vatican Council. On July 5, Pope Francis both approved the promulgation of a decree paving the way for their canonizations and convoked the consistory. During a papal press conference on his return from Rio de Janeiro on July 28, Francis said both popes would be canonized together.

He said that a joint canonization would be "a message for the Church: These two were wonderful, both of them." Divine Mercy Sunday was a special day for Blessed John Paul II, who established the feast in 2000. Its origins date back to Polish nun St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), who had a devotion to the Divine Mercy after an encounter with Jesus. In visions and conversations with Jesus, St. Faustina said Jesus asked her specifically for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established so mankind would take refuge in Jesus. Blessed John Paul II died on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005. The theme of mercy is also central to the pontificate of Pope Francis. As is well known, John Paul II also had a special devotion to Our Lady. His apostolic motto, Totus tuus ("Totally yours"), was inspired by St. Louis de Montfort and his prayer: Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt. Accipio te in mea omnia. Praebe mihi cor tuum, Maria ("I belong entirely to you, and all that I have is yours.

I take you for my all. O Mary, give me your heart"). Upon opening the rite of beatification of John Paul II, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the vicar of Rome, said the motto reflected John Paul II’s total confidence in Mary and "the secret of looking at the world through the eyes of the Mother of God." "The traits of his spirituality, to which he remained faithful until death, led to sincere devotion to the Holy Spirit and love for the Virgin Mary," he said. Usually, two miracles attributed to a candidate’s intercession are required to become a saint. A French nun who was inexplicably cured of Parkinson’s disease led to John Paul II’s beatification in 2011. A second miracle, which must occur after a beatification, involved a Costa Rican woman who was cured of a cerebral aneurysm the very day of John Paul II’s beatification. For Blessed John XXIII, who was pope from 1958 to 1963 and convened the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis took the rare step of waiving the requirement of a second miracle, paving the way for his imminent canonization.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters in July that a canonization without a second miracle is still valid. He noted the existing miracle that led to John XXIII’s beatification. He also pointed to ongoing discussions within the Church over whether it is necessary to have two distinct miracles for beatification and canonization. He stressed that, in any cause for sainthood, the Pope has the authority to dispense with the second miracle. Edward Pentin is also a contributor to April 27, 2014 EDITOR A crowd estimated at more than one million thronged St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding area today to watch two 20th century Catholic giants, Pope John Paul and Pope John XXIII, declared saints. Pope Francis presided over the massive canonization ceremony, joined by his predecessor, the retired 87-year-old Benedict XVI, Share: A crowd estimated at more than one million thronged St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding area today to watch two 20th century Catholic giants, Pope John Paul and Pope John XXIII, declared saints.

Pope Francis presided over the massive canonization ceremony, joined by his predecessor, the retired 87-year-old Benedict XVI, leading the Italian press to dub the day the “Festival of Four Popes.” Both were historic firsts. Two popes have never before been declared saints in the same ceremony, and two living popes have never before been on hand for the event. The canonization was the largest public gathering in Rome since the funeral of John Paul II in April 2005. In his remarks during the Mass, Pope Francis praised the two new saints. “These were two men of courage, filled with the boldness of the Holy Spirit, and they bore witness before the Church and the world to God’s goodness and mercy,” Francis said. Pope John XXIII, known in his day as “Good Pope John,” is remembered above all for convening the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), which launched the Catholic Church on a course of reform.

Francis today described Pope John as a “pastor” and a “servant leader,” calling him “the pope of openness to the Holy Spirit.” John Paul II, the most traveled pope in history and the third longest-serving pontiff of all time, left behind an enormous legacy, including his role in the collapse of Communism and his outreach to both other Christians and the followers of other faiths. Francis described John Paul as the “pope of the family,” referring to the special concern the Polish pontiff had for young people and family life. Among other things, John Paul II founded World Youth Day, a gathering staged every two or three years that routinely draws crowds in excess of a million people, becoming the Olympic Games of the Catholic Church. The family is also a point of emphasis for Francis, who will convene a global summit of bishops in October devoted to issues related to the family. Today is “Divine Mercy Sunday,” an observance placed on the Church’s calendar by Pope John Paul II intended to foster devotion to the mercy of Christ.

Francis, who has made mercy a cornerstone of his own papacy, prayed that the two new pope-saints will help Catholics “to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of divine mercy, which always hopes and always forgives, because it always loves.” As part of the canonization ceremony, a Vatican official asked three times that Francis name his two predecessors as saints. Francis then read a Latin formula officially “declaring and defining” that the two men have been enrolled as saints and can now be venerated by Catholics all around the world. As part of the canonization rite, relics of each of the new saints were presented to the pope. In the case of John Paul II the relic was a vial of the late pontiff’s blood, while for John XXIII it was a piece of skin removed at the time of his beatification, the final stage before sainthood, in 2000. Catholic teaching holds that a canonization is among the rare occasions when a pope utilizes his infallible authority, definitively asserting that the new saints are in Heaven. The global resonance of today’s ceremony was reflected in the VIP turnout.

Dignitaries on hand included twenty four heads of state and ten heads of government, with official delegations from 122 nations. The United States was represented by a three-member delegation led by John Podesta, a former White House Chief of Staff in the Clinton administration and now a special advisor to President Barack Obama. Italian authorities fielded some 13,000 security personnel, while the Vatican said the Mass itself involved more than 130 cardinals, 1,000 bishops and 6,000 priests from around the world. Italian media outlets quoted Roman officials as saying that more than 5,000 buses carrying pilgrims arrived in the city in the days before the event. John XXIII and John Paul II join the subset of popes who have become saints, a total of 80 out of 268 pontiffs recognized by Catholic tradition, though just seven others have been canonized in the last 1,000 years.

Share: John Paul II and John XXIII declared saints John Paul II and John XXIII declared saints Updated / April 27, 2014 21:53 Pope Francis proclaimed his predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints this morning in front of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Cheers and applause rang out across St Peter's Square after the double canonisation. "We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church," Francis said in his formal proclamation in Latin. The crowd was so large it stretched back along all of Viadella Conciliazione, the half kilometre-long, broad boulevard that starts at the Tiber River. Even its bridges were packed with pilgrims. The Mass, which began under a light rain, was also attended by Pope Emeritus Benedict, who last year became the first pontiff in six centuries to step down. Benedict walked with a cane and was dressed in white vestments His attendance gave the ceremony a somewhat surreal atmosphere created by the presence of reigning pope, a retired pope and two dead popes buried in the basilica behind the altar.

John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963 and called the modernising Second Vatican Council, and John Paul II, the Pole who reigned for nearly 27 years, played a leading role on the world stage. Check out our gallery of images from the Vatican The overwhelming majority in the crowd were Poles who had travelled from their home country and immigrant communities as far afield as Chicago and Sydney to watch their most famous native son become a saint. Hundreds of red and white Polish flags filled the square and the streets surrounding the Vatican, which were strewn with sleeping bags, backpacks and folding chairs. It was one of the biggest crowds since John Paul's beatification in 2011. Families and other pilgrims had waited for more than 12 hours along the main street leading to the Vatican before police opened up the square at 5.30am. Some people said they had managed to sleep on their feet because the crowd was so thick. About 850 cardinals and bishops were celebrating the mass with the pope and 700 priests were on hand to distribute communion to the huge crowd.

Francis' own huge popularity has added extra appeal to the unprecedented ceremony to raise two former leaders of the church to sainthood on the same day. But while both were widely revered, there has also been criticism that John Paul II, who only died nine years ago, has been canonised too quickly. Groups representing victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests also say he did not do enough to root out a scandal that emerged towards the end of his pontificate and which has hung over the church ever since. About 10,000 police and security personnel and special paramedic teams were deployed and large areas of Rome were closed to traffic. Pilgrims who did not want to battle the crowd spent the night praying in Rome churches left open especially for the event and would watch the event on large television screens around the city. The election of the Argentinian-born Pope Francis has injected fresh enthusiasm into a church beset by sexual and financial scandals during the papacy of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who last year became the first pope to resign in 600 years. Galway Racecourse marks canonisations Around 3,000 people gathered at Galway Racecourse this morning for a special event to celebrate the canonisations.

There was a strong turnout from members of the Polish community in the west of Ireland as well as many of those who saw John Paul II in Ballybrit during his 1979 visit to Ireland. Proceedings began at 11am, when highlights of that visit were shown on a big screen. Those in attendance then watched edited highlights of this morning's canonisation ceremony in Rome. A Mass of thanksgiving was then celebrated at the racecourse. The Bishop of Galway, Martin Drennan, was joined by several other western bishops as well as many priests from the diocese. Over 2,000 people attended a special mass of thanksgiving in Knock to mark the dual canonisation. The Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Charles Brown, was the chief celebrant at the Basilica at the Co Mayo Shrine this afternoon. He was joined by local clergy who concelebrated the mass. Hundreds gathered in St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry this afternoon for a special mass to celebrate the canonisation. Newly appointed Bishop of Derry ,Dónal McKeown was chief celebrant , among the other celebrants was former Bishop of Derry Seamus Hegarty.

A special display had been arranged at the altar with photos, newspaper cuttings, and articles relating to both former popes and two large posters were hung either side of the altar. A group of young people representing each one of the dioceses’ 51 parishes brought cards to the altar. Music was provided by the girls’ choir from St Marys College and from the Long Tower Folk Group. Bishop McKeown said that both new saints were not perfect people but had displayed heroic characteristics in face of adversity in their lives. They were deeply holy men he said. At the end of mass young people from the diocese taking part in the Pope John Paul II Awards handed out wristbands to children and teenagers in the congregation. The wristbands were inscribed with John Paul II's message from his visit to Ireland in 1979: "I believe in youth".

More on Pope John Paul II to be canonised on Divine Mercy Sunday – CatholicHerald.co.uk John Paul II was elected in 1978 and will be canonised next year Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII will be canonised on April 27 2014 Pope Francis announced he would declare Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II as saints at a single ceremony on April 27 next year. Recognising that his predecssors have widespread reputations for holiness and that years of studying their lives and actions have proven their exceptional virtue, the pope made the announcement this morning at the end of an “ordinary public consistory,” a gathering of cardinals and promoters of the sainthood causes of the two late popes. The consistory took place in the context of a prayer service in Latin and included the reading of brief biographies of the two sainthood candidates. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, read the biographies and highlighted the “service to peace” and the impact both popes had “inside and outside the Christian community” at times of great cultural, political and religious transformation.

The testimonies of their lives, “completely dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel, shine in the church and reverberate in the history of the world as examples of hope and light,” the cardinal said. Blessed John Paul, known as a globetrotter who made 104 trips outside Italy, served as pope from 1978 to 2005 and was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011. Blessed John XXIII, known particularly for convoking the Second Vatican Council, was pope from 1958 to 1963; Blessed John Paul beatified him in 2000. The choice of April 27, which will be Divine Mercy Sunday in 2014, was not a complete surprise. Speaking to reporters traveling with him from Brazil to Rome July 28, Pope Francis said he had been considering Dec. 8, but the possibility of icy roads could make it difficult for Polish pilgrims who would travel by bus to Rome for the ceremony. The other option, he said, was Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration instituted worldwide by Pope John Paul.

Since the beginning of his pontificate in March, Pope Francis has emphasized God’s mercy and readiness to forgive those who recognize their need for pardon. He told reporters on the flight from Brazil that Pope John Paul’s promotion of Divine Mercy Sunday showed his intuition that a new “age of mercy” was needed in the church and the world. Asked on the plane to describe the two late popes, Pope Francis said Blessed John was “a bit of the ‘country priest,’ a priest who loves each of the faithful and knows how to care for them; he did this as a bishop and as a nuncio.” He was holy, patient, had a good sense of humor and, especially by calling the Second Vatican Council, was a man of courage, Pope Francis said. “He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord.” As for Blessed John Paul, Pope Francis told the reporters on the plane, “I think of him as ‘the great missionary of the church,” because he was “a man who proclaimed the Gospel everywhere”.

Pope Francis signed a decree recognizing the miracle needed for Blessed John Paul’s canonization July 5; the same day, the Vatican announced that the pope had agreed with members of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes that the canonization of Blessed John should go forward even without a second miracle attributed to his intercession. Except in the case of martyrdom, Vatican rules require one miracle for a candidate’s beatification and a second for his or her canonisation as confirmations that the candidate really is in heaven with God. However, the pope may set aside the rule. Subscribe at your app store: Related stories

Question: In April 2014, Pope Francis canonised two former popes; John Paul II was one, who was the other?
Answer: JOHN XXIII